"Turns are a
must-have in any dancer’s arsenal of skills. Of the many types of turns you’ll
perform in a dance class or dance performance, there’s none more standard than
the ballet pirouette en dehors. This outward turn on one leg is delightful as a
double turn and downright spectacular when done in multiples. Want to
improve this dance move? Here are our top twenty tips:

Get to ballet class. Barre and centre
exercises pave the way to pirouette perfection.

Strengthen your core.

Practice balancing in retiré (or whatever
position you are turning).

Strengthen your ankles to support a high,
sturdy relevé.

Align your ribs over your pelvis and keep
this connection throughout the turn.

No twisting in the torso while turning.

Take a moment in your preparation to
experience an active (not passive) sense of calm – like the intense energy that
seems to gather before lightening strikes.

Launch your turn from a well-placed plié.

Practice to find the right amount of push
and use only the necessary amount of force.

Withdraw the foot quickly from the floor as
you start the turn and bring it to the knee immediately.

Imagine energy in the supporting leg
spiraling upward, while energy from the torso drills downward.

Imagine the knee drawing a circle around you
as you turn.

Imagine hugging a large beach ball, with
your arms, to activate your back and arm muscles.

Work on your spotting technique, relaxing
the head and neck, focusing the eyes, and whipping the head with precision.

Visualize yourself doing a beautiful, clean
pirouette every time.

Think ahead and know how many turns you want
to do.

Breathe, relax, and float around in your
turn.

Remember that a pirouette is not a spin, but
a controlled up and down movement that happens to rotate.

Just before the finish, lift up, activating
the core muscles just a little bit more for a graceful landing.